Happy New Year

 Above:  Walking in the desert with Nachelnik ambling ahead, always the guardian

This RV park was deserted at about 5:00 p.m., cars with dressed-up people exiting in large numbers to New Year's celebrations, with most of the remaining in attendance at the club house for the dinner/dance (this year's theme:  Senior Prom).  There was a frost warning for last night, but after doing laundry and spending some time in the outdoor pool and spa, the temperature read a balmy (choke) 40 degrees at 10:00 p.m.  The cold may have also played a part in why there was not a soul to be seen anywhere after dark (see prior Oz Syndrome post).

 Above:  One of the pool and spa areas at the park

We went outside at midnight to see if there might be some fireworks.  There were a lot of firecrackers and cherry bombs going off in the distance, a few people hollering and whistling at the far end of the park, and then 3 shots rang out from a large-caliber gun of some description, about 500 yards away from us, then some automatic weapon fire a ways away. Someone fired up the song "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang about two streets over, then you could hear the dull roar of car horns and crowds screaming in the town a few miles from here, and then that was the end of that, after about 10 minutes total.

About an hour later we heard a crash on the street outside, and then the sound of something being dragged along that had the sound of metal with sparks flying.  We looked outside and discovered it was one of the park residents trying to navigate his golf cart home and failing miserably.  I don't know what he hit, but he got out to look at the front of his cart, and a crowd of people, glasses in hand (in true Julian fashion -- hey, we ARE in a trailer park, even if it's more posh that Sunnyvale) were all turning away and wandering off, excitement over for the time being.

Happy New Year, everyone!

 Above:  Fuera patiently waiting to hit the road to Arizona (Aaron checking tire pressures)

Above:  The 99-dollar stainless-steel BBQ from Costco:  State of the art, 2 burners, about 2 feet wide but nicely portable with folding legs :)